From Fangraphs (http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/josh-beckett-and-dips-theory/)

Last year, Josh Beckett posted a 5.78 ERA in 21 starts, and his struggles were one of the main reasons the Red Sox missed the playoffs. This year, Josh Beckett has a 1.86 ERA in 14 starts, and his dominance is one of the reasons that the Red Sox have the best record in the American League. A look beyond ERA, however, shows that Beckett is the poster boy for why metrics like xFIP were created in the first place.

Brutus

06-17-2011, 01:25 PM

James Shields was another guy who's stats screamed out for being much better this year than last. His ERA (5.18) was a run higher than his FIP and closer to two runs than his xFIP.